Fewer Democrats in Church? Majority 'Seldom or Never' Attend

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A Gallup poll released Monday highlights the religious spilt between Democrats and Republicans, showing that 52 percent of Democrats seldom or never attend church. And the percentage of Democrats who attend church weekly has dropped two percentage points – down from 29 to 27 percent – since the first quarter of 2008.

The survey digs deeper in the demographics of Democrats in America, finding they are becoming less white and more liberal from a similar sampling surveyed in early 2008, allowing political scientists to see how the Democrats have evolved since President Obama has occupied the White House.

Democrats by and large, are moving further to the left in their political views. Of those polled, 37 percent identified themselves as “liberals,” compared to 35 percent in 2008. Interestingly, this move leftward occurred during the same time that Republicans were winning more seats in Congress and in state houses around the country, thus deepening the divide between the two major parties.

“It’s not surprising to learn that a majority of those who have ‘liberal’ views don’t pass through the church doors very often,” said conservative sociologist Todd Alridge. “All of the social views that politically divide us such as marriage, abortion and homosexuality are rooted in Scripture. If you don’t subscribe to a Christian worldview, or for that matter any other religious belief, then the only basis for your personal beliefs will be from what you see and experience through mass media or through your own personal experiences.”

The poll also showed that by a slight margin of 2 percentage points, Democrats are more likely to have a college degree that the average American. Fewer are married and more Democrats are female versus male.

Gallup summarized the poll by saying:

“All in all, Democrats remain decidedly less white, more female, more liberal, less religious, and less likely to be married than the general population.”

Gallup surveyed a random sample of 88,000 adults 18 and older over a three-month period between June 1 and August 31 of this year. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 1 percent.